Guy Miner
Master Loader
- Apr 6, 2006
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Realized that I'd been remiss about posting re my hunt in Wyoming. I did put up a couple of photos in the hunting photo section, but didn't really tell the story. I'll do so here, keeping it brief.
Had to shorten my trip by a few days due to business and family matters. Such is life, but that cut out my plan to drive the Lolo Motorway, a dirt road that traces Lewis & Clark's steps across the Bitterroot Mountains in Idaho. Next time perhaps...
Went first to the northwest corner of Montana and visited a wonderful aunt and an accomplished elk hunter in her day. Spent the night there, then headed south & east. Much of the way on dirt roads that day. Saw parts of western Montana I'd never seen before, and spent a lot of time along small rivers like this one:
Was impressed with all the game I was seeing along the way. Bighorn sheep, moose along the Jefferson River, mule deer, whitetail deer, bison at the National Bison Range, wild turkey and pronghorn antelope.
Sorry, got there on round-up day, and was unable to get a good photo of bison roaming freely.
The two moose along the Jefferson surprised me, and I think I surprised them, as I was looking for a campsite for the night. That was pretty neat, but I failed to get a good photo. Pity, as I was at one point, quite close to them. Not by my plan!
Little "Stubs" the Jeep was packed with hunting and camping gear, and although not really intended for long road trips, did quite well throughout the 2500 mile journey.
A campsite high in the Tobacco Root Mountains:
Passed through the "ghost towns" of Nevada City and Virginia City where mining was once king.
Stayed in a different ranch house this time.
Wyoming Sunrise:
Hunted hard. I'd done okay there in 2012, and really wanted a bigger buck if one was to be found. I was allowed to walk a lot. This was wonderful! There are some amazing places to see out there in the hills, and although a 4x4 truck can get around well, some things a fellow just has to see by wandering the hills, preferably alone, and quietly. I don't have photos of that sort of thing, as I was hunting, intent on using my binoculars & rifle more than the camera. Was snowed on at one point, hot and sweaty at other times. It was GREAT.
Saw quite a few bucks, though most were young. The area seems to be recovering from the disastrous winter, which I believe was in 2010. I was amazed at how green the grass was this time of year. They've had quite a bit of rain. On the first day I had a chance at "Ol' 2x4" as we named him, because of his rack. Could have taken him in his bed at 300 yards, but I elected to hunt on, and see if I could find a bigger, better buck.
Found my pronghorn in a small band while we were looking for mule deer. Up high, in the grassy meadow in the trees of all places! Of course I bounced them out of there, without getting a shot. A little stalking on foot though revealed where they'd gone, out into the open prairie. I was able to close enough to get a shot from kneeling at 160 yards. The buck had slowed, turned, and looked right at me, so I planted that 115 gr bullet right in his chest. He was down instantly. Am really quite fond of that .25-06 rifle and it's gentle nudge.
He had been up on the backside of that high butte behind me when I first saw him. The horns measure 14" even, which is about as good as I saw in that area this time, and he's quite a bit bigger than the pronghorn I took two years ago in the same general area:
I did see, fleetingly, one large 4x4, probably as big as "2x4" but was uncomfortable with the standing shot he offered, so he got away. I tried tracking him, and it's utterly amazing how something as big as a mulie buck can simply vanish...
We were treated to an amazing display as two adult bucks, a big 3x3 and a slightly smaller 4x4, got into one heck of a fight which must have lasted 20+ minutes! I surely did wish for a video camera while watching that... At one point the 4x4 was flung sideways and barely kept his feet. Seriously considered shooting the big 3x3, but ended up being glad that I didn't.
Old "2x4" was relocated, and a bullet was launched at about 280 yards. I'm not proud of that shot. Managed to pull it too far back, into his guts. He slowed down and at 340 yards I put a second bullet into him, in his lungs where it was supposed to be. He went down, and when we got to him, found that "2x4" was actually a 3x4, about 26.5" wide at the outside. I was quite happy to find him in the sage!
Got the heads to the local taxidermy shop. They do a great job and will crate the skulls when the European/skull mounts are done. Dropped off the carcasses at the meat processor. Overnight they were cut, wrapped and frozen. Impressive. Stopped for a huckleberry milkshake in Broadus, Montana and headed home.
Regards, Guy
Had to shorten my trip by a few days due to business and family matters. Such is life, but that cut out my plan to drive the Lolo Motorway, a dirt road that traces Lewis & Clark's steps across the Bitterroot Mountains in Idaho. Next time perhaps...
Went first to the northwest corner of Montana and visited a wonderful aunt and an accomplished elk hunter in her day. Spent the night there, then headed south & east. Much of the way on dirt roads that day. Saw parts of western Montana I'd never seen before, and spent a lot of time along small rivers like this one:
Was impressed with all the game I was seeing along the way. Bighorn sheep, moose along the Jefferson River, mule deer, whitetail deer, bison at the National Bison Range, wild turkey and pronghorn antelope.
Sorry, got there on round-up day, and was unable to get a good photo of bison roaming freely.
The two moose along the Jefferson surprised me, and I think I surprised them, as I was looking for a campsite for the night. That was pretty neat, but I failed to get a good photo. Pity, as I was at one point, quite close to them. Not by my plan!
Little "Stubs" the Jeep was packed with hunting and camping gear, and although not really intended for long road trips, did quite well throughout the 2500 mile journey.
A campsite high in the Tobacco Root Mountains:
Passed through the "ghost towns" of Nevada City and Virginia City where mining was once king.
Stayed in a different ranch house this time.
Wyoming Sunrise:
Hunted hard. I'd done okay there in 2012, and really wanted a bigger buck if one was to be found. I was allowed to walk a lot. This was wonderful! There are some amazing places to see out there in the hills, and although a 4x4 truck can get around well, some things a fellow just has to see by wandering the hills, preferably alone, and quietly. I don't have photos of that sort of thing, as I was hunting, intent on using my binoculars & rifle more than the camera. Was snowed on at one point, hot and sweaty at other times. It was GREAT.
Saw quite a few bucks, though most were young. The area seems to be recovering from the disastrous winter, which I believe was in 2010. I was amazed at how green the grass was this time of year. They've had quite a bit of rain. On the first day I had a chance at "Ol' 2x4" as we named him, because of his rack. Could have taken him in his bed at 300 yards, but I elected to hunt on, and see if I could find a bigger, better buck.
Found my pronghorn in a small band while we were looking for mule deer. Up high, in the grassy meadow in the trees of all places! Of course I bounced them out of there, without getting a shot. A little stalking on foot though revealed where they'd gone, out into the open prairie. I was able to close enough to get a shot from kneeling at 160 yards. The buck had slowed, turned, and looked right at me, so I planted that 115 gr bullet right in his chest. He was down instantly. Am really quite fond of that .25-06 rifle and it's gentle nudge.
He had been up on the backside of that high butte behind me when I first saw him. The horns measure 14" even, which is about as good as I saw in that area this time, and he's quite a bit bigger than the pronghorn I took two years ago in the same general area:
I did see, fleetingly, one large 4x4, probably as big as "2x4" but was uncomfortable with the standing shot he offered, so he got away. I tried tracking him, and it's utterly amazing how something as big as a mulie buck can simply vanish...
We were treated to an amazing display as two adult bucks, a big 3x3 and a slightly smaller 4x4, got into one heck of a fight which must have lasted 20+ minutes! I surely did wish for a video camera while watching that... At one point the 4x4 was flung sideways and barely kept his feet. Seriously considered shooting the big 3x3, but ended up being glad that I didn't.
Old "2x4" was relocated, and a bullet was launched at about 280 yards. I'm not proud of that shot. Managed to pull it too far back, into his guts. He slowed down and at 340 yards I put a second bullet into him, in his lungs where it was supposed to be. He went down, and when we got to him, found that "2x4" was actually a 3x4, about 26.5" wide at the outside. I was quite happy to find him in the sage!
Got the heads to the local taxidermy shop. They do a great job and will crate the skulls when the European/skull mounts are done. Dropped off the carcasses at the meat processor. Overnight they were cut, wrapped and frozen. Impressive. Stopped for a huckleberry milkshake in Broadus, Montana and headed home.
Regards, Guy
